Lack of ‘psychological safety’ at trust with ‘acceptance of poor behaviours’

An acute trust has “palpable” cultural problems and staff “at all levels” have described an acceptance of “poor behaviours”, according to the Care Quality Commission.

Some staff at Gloucestershire Hospitals Foundation Trust also reported a lack of trust in their senior managers and a “fear of speaking up”.

The Care Quality Commission feedback was set out in a post-inspection letter to the trust’s acting chief executive Mark Pietroni last month following an inspection in June. The trust’s CEO Deborah Lee is currently off work as she recovers from a stroke.

According to the CQC letter, published in the trust’s board papers ahead of a full inspection report which is due in the autumn, staff “articulated [to inspectors and said they] had observed rudeness and incivility throughout the organisation”.

In a written statement, Professor Pietroni told HSJ he “fully recognised” the CQC’s feedback.

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Source: HSJ (24 August 2022)